The present invention generally relates to unified messaging systems, and more specifically, but not exclusively, concerns a unified messaging system in which multiple messages can be administered with a telephone over a public switched telephone network.
Unified messaging systems are used to store different types of messages, such as emails, voicemails and faxes, in one location. Subscribers to the unified messaging system can conveniently retrieve their email, voicemail, and fax messages by using a telephone, a computer, or a facsimile machine. One problem created by this convenience of having the messages stored in one location is that the inbox of a subscriber can become quickly inundated with a large number of duplicate or unsolicited messages.
Although predefined filters can be used to filter out unsolicited email messages and/or redirect specified email messages, the filter may not be easily modified to handle new conditions, such as duplicate messages from a new source. This filtering problem is especially of concern when the subscriber is away from the office. In this situation, the subscriber typically does not have access to a computer and must use a telephone to retrieve the messages. When the subscriber has a large number of messages, the subscriber can be quickly frustrated by having to individually listen to and administer each message with the telephone. Therefore, there has been a long-felt need for a unified messaging system in which a subscriber can easily administer multiple messages at the same time using a telephone over a public switched telephone network.